Machine for doubling tin plates



Feb. 15, 1927.

H. S. THOMAS ET Al;`

MACHINE FOR DOUBLING TIN PLATES l Filed Jan. 25, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l SRV on mmv.

Milli--- ZZorney Feb. 15, 1927. 1,617,880

H. s. THOMAS ET AL.

MACHINE FOR DOUE LI NG TIN PLATES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jah. 26, V1925 Feb. 15 .1927.

v 1,617,880 H. S. THQMAS ET AL MACHINE Fog DoUBLIN-G TiN `PLATES FiledJan. 26, 1925 4 sheets-sheet orngy.

Feb. 15, 1927. 1,617,880

H. s. THCMAS ET AL MACHINE FOR DOUBLING TIN PLATES' Filed Jan. 2e, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented F eb. 15,1927.

y 4iin-i'"ren STATES PATENT terr'LCE5 vHUBERT sPENcE THOMAS, on nLANnaEF, Ann WILLIAM noBERT DAMES, 10E WHIT- CHURCH, WALES,

YMAGHINE Fon vnoimL'InefY Tin lPLATES.

Application inea ianiiaryae, 1925, serial no.

`Our invention relatesto lmachinery lenip'lo'yed in *the manufacture yot' tin-plates, sheets or the like and more particularly to the machinery ivhereby the preliminary doubling' or folding operations are per formed for obtaining from fthe pieces or bars of steel what are technically knoivii as black plates or sheets f In the specification of Letters Patent No. 1,535,876, granted to us and issued the 28th day of April 1925,v`ve have described and claimed a process of effecting the said doubling or 'elding-operations by submitting the plates or sheets to endvv'ise pressure, the said specitication describing and illustrating a machine "for carrying itlie invention into effect.

"flie present invention consists ofthe-hereinatter described improvements in or modifications of certain parts of the said inachine,v the said improvements `or lmodifica-rv tions having for their principal objectstoreduce to a minimum the amount of scrap metal produced when ,the doubled yor folded plates or sheets are submitted to the shearing operations W'liicli intervene between each successive doubling or folding operation, to eiiiec-t the more complete compressing 'toget-her oiE the folded plates or sheets especia'lly along the .folded edge thereof, and generally to increase the efficiency of thefmachine. .y

The improvements constituting the present invention Will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate somewhat diagrammatically convenient means or mechanism for carrying the invention into e'liect,

Figure l represents in side `elevation a plate or sheet doubling or folding machine embodying the improvements constituting the invention, the ,traveling pressure inember of .the machine being` indicated in dotted lines only and a partially Jfolded plate loeing also shown in dotted lines. Y

Figure 2 is a plan of the machine, certain parts hereinafter referred to being omitted or broken away. The travelling pressure member is shown in full lines in this figure.

Figure 3 is a crosssection on the line SW3, Figure' l, and Alooking in the direction of the arrow A in the said ligure.

Figure s: is a sectional side elevation of the rolls and parts coqpperating therewith 4,953, and in 'Great Britain reti-nary' 2, ieeey to improve or complete the dldot the 'plates or-sheets and deliver them trom the machine,

a folded plate `or sheet beingsliovvn `in full lines and indicated in dotted lines in `positions ivhicli itV assumes during' delivery Vfrom the machine.

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional sider elevations ot a portion of the llett hand end of Figure l, drawn toen venlarged scale, and

disclosing parts oii'tlie! mechanism herein.

after Amore )aiticularly Are'lierred to, the'several 'parts 'of the said mechanism being shoivn iin tliesaid figures inthe extrelnesiot' positions which they `assume during-theoperation of the machine.

The same numerals of reference indicate the same paitsin the several. itiguresot' the drawings. y

vBefore'referring to those parts oi'tlie niac'hine orV mechanism wherein theimproven ments or modificationswhich constitutejthe present vinver'ition more particularly reside We lremark that tlile'reference 7 vand. El denote the'end standards ottlie machine and 9 `the pressure exerting member `which is adapted to "be traversed on tracks provided yfloy 'the upper and lovver `pairs olf longitudinalibars 10 and lOfL respectively v'vliicli connect fthe said 'end staudar s, 'the vpressure exerting member 9 being provided vwith anti-friction devices or rollers 92L t'or travelling on the tracks.

des inthe prior Patent No. 1,535,8T6 tiled March 28rd, 1922, and issued Aprilj28th,

1925, the pressure exerting inen'iber 9, when travelling inthe direction of thearrovv A in Figure l (zo-operates with the end standard 8 or parts carried'tliereby toput the requisite pressi'ire on the 4:pla-te or sheet A"for electing the doubling or folding thereof, a partially doubled plate, marked X, being shown `in Figure l and indicated in `dotted lines 'in Figure 2. Y n Y The traversing oi' reciprocatoify mot-ion 'of the member'Q Acan be enected by a hydraulic rain or other convenient means' 'K as for 4example vthe mechanism illustrated which comprises the lpair oic tinirallel-. endless chains 11 supported by and 'travelling overv the sprocket Wheels 12, 12a, 12b and 12C, 'the spindles of `which `are conveniently vsupported in bearings pro-vided in the vlongfitudi.'nal side laars t'Oand bracket-s 13 provided there on, the' spindles of the sprocket Wheels 12 and 1,2a also having thereon sprocket Wheels 1+i: geared to the sprocket wheels 15 on the shaft 16 which is geared to and driven from the armature shaft of the electromotor 17.

We will now refer to the improvements in or modifications of the machine or mechanism constituting the present invention, and in order that the manner in which we effect a reduction in the amount of scrap metal produced in the shearing operations which intervene between successive doubling or folding processes may be the better' appreciated, we remark Vthat one end or edge of the plate or sheet, or multiple ply of plates or sheets to be folded, ordinarily has a more or less irregular concave formation, projecting parts or ear pieces being produced thereon by the rolling operation which precedes the folding process, and when the said folding process has been performed and the straight edge of the sheet has been brought thereby into juxtaposition with the irregular edge, the amount of the straight edge which will be cut away in the succeeding shearing operation for trimming the irregular edge will depend on the relative position or overlap of the said edges after the doubling process.

In operating with the doubling machine of the prior patent hereinbefore referred to, it has been customary to arrange the projecting hooks or arms which are provided for lifting the doubled plates or sheets into the rolls which complete the doubling operation and transfer the folded plate or sheet from the machine somewhat below the level of the platform or bed on which the plates or sheets rest when delivered to the machine and on and along which the straight edge bears and travels during the folding process. By such arrangement the irregular or concave edge of the sheets, which edge is presented to and adjacent the hooks or arms and as the folding proceeds is brought to rest and bears thereon, is, on the completion of the fold, at a correspondingly lower level than `the straight edge of the sheet, overlapping the same to the extent or approximately to the extent of the irregular portion and thus reducing the amount of the straight edge cut away in the trimming operation.

It is however found in practice that the extent of the irregularity produced at one end of the sheets by the rolling operations varies considerably after each successive fold and consequently a definite or fixed setting of the hooks or arms referred to does .not therefore operate to reduce waste to the maximum extent possible .in the shearing operation following each successive folding process.

According to the present invention for the purpose of rendering necessary only a minimum cuttingv away of the straight edge of the folded sheet in the shearing operation following each successive folding process the hooks or arms referred to, or preferably a single hook or arm replacing the same and arranged on the center line of the machine, which hook is hereinafter referred to as the gauge hook, is so mounted on the machine as to be capable of being set to predetermined positions according to the extent of the 'irregularity which will be required to be removed on the following shearing operation.

A convenient construction andarrangementoffthc said gauge hook and its adjusting mechanism is illust ated in the drawings and best seen in Figures 5 and G, from an examination of which it will be seen that the gauge hook marked 18 is mounted on or formed integral with a rod l8rL arranged to slide in a guide 19, or guides, provided on the framing or end standard 8 of the machine. rlhe said rod extends upwardly and passes through a slot 8a in the standard 8, its upper end, being pivotally connected with the lever or crank arm 2l) on the shaft or spindle 21 supported in bearings in the opposite sides of the standard, one or both ends of the said shafts projecting beyond the standard and being provided with a lever 22 in convenient position for manipulation by the attendant, the said lever, which is seen only in dotted lines in Figures 5 and 6, having means combined therewith for engaging with one or other of a series of notches in a rack 23 for retaining it in the position to Y'hich it may be adjusted after the manner of a change gear or similar lever mechanism.

In order to ensure that the irregular forward edge of the plate or sheet X shall be caused to take its bearing on the gauge hook 18 instead of rising up when the end pressure is brought to bear on the plate or sheet, we provide preferably a pair of pivoted plates or flaps 24 adapted in the working of the machine to be automatically turned down on to the said front edge when the plate or sheet to be folded is in position on the platform or bod 25, the said retaining tiaps 2li being automatically returned to their out of action position as the folding operation proceeds.

Each pivoted flap or plate 2t is conveuientljyv mounted on a pivot 2G. or a continuousI shaft supported on the end standard or frame t?, an-:l is operated through the medium of a link il? attached to an arm or bracket 2l@ thereon, the requisite motion of which is eifectmil by a bell crank lever provi-ded with a counterbalance weight the said lever being fulcrumed on the shaft 29 journalled in brackets on the standard 8. the operation of the said levers synchronously with the other motions of the mechanism being effected by tappet rod mechanism actuated by or through the movable pressure exerting column 9 of the machine.

The said tappet rod mechanism conveniently `comprises a rod 30 adapted to slide in `guides 30 on the underside of theplatlorm 25, andthe said rod may operate one of the levers 2S by bearing directly onv but Without positive connection or attachment to the depending extension 281 ot the said lever; but preferably the said extension Qtb and tappet rod 30. are coupled by a link 8l as shown in the dra-wings. The operation ot the one bell crank lever effects the simultaneous motion ot the other bell crank lever, the said levers in addition to being fixed on the same shaft 29 being` preferably joined at their lower enc s by a spindle 29a. u

i Convenient means tor' eilfecting the reciprocatorymotions ot the tappet rod 30 for lowering and raisingl the' pivoted flaps .or plates 24 at the requisitetimes duringl the travel of the member 9 comprises the provision on the said member 9 of arms or levers 32 anc 33 (see Figure l) depending trom the horizontal rod or barB/l. VThe lever is preferablyadjustably mounted on the har 34 and the lever 38 is pivoted at its upper end to the said bar and is also pivoted at the point intermediate its ends to a plate `or bracket l()b on the 'traine bar l0, the saidvr bracket preferably providingl'oran adjustable positioning` of the tulcrum or pivot 33a.` The lorver ends o't the levers auf` 33 are furnished with pivoted sections B2 and 33h respectively, which sectionsconveniently comprise pairs of parallel and connected bars disposed one on each side oi" the upper sections ot' the levers. rlhe said pivoted sections by the .action ot the respect-ive cross pins 32 and 38 remain rigidl with their upper sections When'the'arin 9Ll ot the pressure meinberacts thereon in its 'forward motion` but turn relatively to their upper sections whenthe said arm is travellingin theopposite direction.

rPhe bar let is pivoted at one end to the lever 85 tulcrumed at 3G to the standard 7, the short arm ot the said lever being 'provided with a pin or stud adapted` to workin a slot in the arm or crank 37 on the shaft 38 which crosses the end standard .7 transversely and has mounted thereon the lever arm 39 the free end oj which engages in a slot 3,0b in the tappet rod 30. The shaitt 38, crank 37 and lever arm 39 thereon which are indicated inA dotted lines in Figure 3 proiiierly seen in the said figure l'iaving been cut away by the taking; of the' section on the line 3-3, Figure l.

l? rom the above description of the tappet mechanism .it will be understood that as the l'iressurc exerting member 9 travels in, a tor- Wnrd direction. that is.E in the direction of the arrow A, after a plate to be doubled has been tle'liveredv on to the platform 25;, Ithe cranked bar 9" carried by the said. meinber first. contacts with the part 32? ofl the? depending two part lever 32, 32a which travels are not Y in connectionV therewith the turning ot' theV retaining flaps 24 from the turned' up position illustrated in Fig-ure G into the turned down or retaining position seen'in Figure 5 in which kposition the flaps are brought to bear on the plate X. 'i i i TWhile the 'bar '34 is movinglongitudinally itis also partaking .of a rising metionfdue to itsrleverI connection with the pivots 33 and 3G, and thus the depending member 32, is raised and perm-its the crankedarin 9? to pass. The continuing. motion of the pressure member 9 brings the said arm 9b into contact with the compound'lever mem ber 83, 33h, which member is now inclinedl in the opposite ldirection. to that V seen in Figure l, and the reversal of motion of the tappet rod operating partsis effected, the tappet rod being caused to move in the opposite direction and through its .action on Vthe bell crank levers and connected parts to raise the flaps out of the pathvof the fore Wardly travelling pressure member 9.

The cranked arm 9b has now passed the dependingl part 331 and the pressure inember completes its forward '.strole. back stroke of the said pressure member' the pivoted parts 33h and 32 yield and ride over the cranked arm 9". y

The end ot' the plate in contact kwith the pressure member is preferably restrained. from risingv ott the platform bv the overhangingi end el a plate or shoe et() suitably mounted on thepressure bar. f

' Instead of utilizing the hook 18 to raise the folded sheet into the nip otthe rolls t9 or transferring mechanisan,V in 4addif On the f tionV to forming` thestop for the irregu r yedge of the plate, which .dual :function was performed by the corresponding part in our .prior patent referred to1 we prefer to einploy .independent means 'for `eitecting the lifting operation. Convenient mechanism for the said purpose may comprise all lendless chain, or preitera-rbly as shown in ythe drawing; see the plan Figrnre a. 1' ot' parallel endless chains 43 trav sprocket Wlieelsdd, the .Said cl is beintV provided with aprojectingr pivoted arm or .lingrer #l5 adapted to be brought the inet-ion ci the chains, which is ihronized with the other inoticnsof the, machine,l into.

posi-tion below ,thefloiver et the folded or sheet being thereby lifted into the rolls or transferring mechanism.

The synchronous motion of the chains 43 may be effected through the sprocket wheel 44EL on the spindle of the sprocket wheel 44, said wheel 44a being geared by the chain 44" to the sprocket 44c on the spindle of the roller 42, the said spindle being geared by a spur wheel 42b with a spur wheel 42c on the spindle of the roller 42a. which roller is hereinafter more particularly referred to, the spindle of the roller 42n being` provided with a sprocket wheel 42*1 driven by the chain 12e from the sprocket wheel 12l on the same spindle as the sprocket wheel l2" of the gearing which effects the traverse of the pressure member 9.

To avoid undue friction between the longitudinal edges of the plates or sheets being folded and the longitudinal guide bars or webs 4G and 47 between whichthey are positioned on the platform 25, which friction is liable to occur as the sheet takes the arched formation during the folding operation, we space the said guide bars or webs at a distance apart somewhat greater than the width of the sheets, and in order to effect the gripping of the lower ends of the folded sheets between the said guides at or near the completion of the folding operation one of the said webs or guides, namely 47, or a portion thereof is so pivoted at 4S that it can be turned inwardly and made to bear with the requisite pressure against the lower ends of the folded sheet which are thus lgripped between the fixed and movable guide bars or webs. The inward turning of the .said web or bar 47 or part thereof can be conveniently effected by providing on its outer face an inclined portion on which the movable pressure exerting` member 9 or a laterally projecting arm 9c thereon is adapted to act in its forward motion.

Or instead of providing` an inclined part directly in the guide bar or web 47 for the arm 9c to act against we prefer to provide the inclined slotted bar 49 pivoted at one end to a bracket 50 on the longitudinal frame bar 10a, the slot 49a of the said bar accom modating a pin 5l the position of which is adjustable in the slot 49` the said pin being connected by links 51 to a pivot 52 carried by a bracket on the guide bar or web 47.

Pressure of the arm 9* of the travelling` member 9, when the same is nearing the end of its forward motion, on the slotted bar 49 acts through the links 51a to move the web 47 into contact with the lower side edges of the arched plate during the latter part of the folding operation and ensures the even folding of the plate. the said lower parts of the plate being correctly positioned between the opposite side webs 46 and 47. The web 46 is omitted from the plan Figure 2 but iS Seen in section in Figure 3, and in order the better to disclose the slotted bar 49 and parts connected therewith and also the arm 9c on the member 9, the upper longitudinal fra-me member l0 on the side at which the said parts are arranged is shown in Figure 2 partly broken away.

Preferably the face of the end standard 8 against which the folded sheet is compressed by the pressure exerting` member 9 is slightly inclined outwardly, the acting face of the movable pressure exerting meinber havingl a corresponding inclination so that when the pressure exerting member recedes there is no tendency for the folded sheet to fall backwards.

(lr we. may interpose between the said presented faces a pair of guide plates 53, o4 between which the doubled sheet passes as it is lifted to the rolls or transmission mechanism, the plate 54 being hinged as at 54a to a bracket on the frame bar l0, see Figure 6, and retaining the doubled sheet in position when the pressure member 9 'reeedes In the patented machine hereinbefore referred to the means for facilitating` the transfer of the folded plate or sheet from the machine comprised a pair of rolls arranged side by side and transversely across the machine after the manner of the rolls 4l and 42 into the nip of which rolls the folded plate or sheet is raised, the said rolls serving by their pressure to improve the fold of the plate or sheet.

According to the present invention we modify the said transfer means by combining therewith an additional transverse pressure roll 422L arranged above the outer roll 42 of the side by side pair. The side by side rolls 41 and 42 are adapted to constitute conveyer rather than nipping or pressure rolls and serve to transfer the sheet to an inclined guideway or platform 56 not shown in, Figures 2 and 3) arranged adjacent the rolls. The sheet X is delivered on to the guideway or platform with its folded edge remote from the pair of rolls 42 and 42a, and thus in sliding down the guideway the unfolded edges of the sheet .first pass into the nip of the said rolls, as will be best understood by an examination of Figure 4, which shows the folded sheet X is full lines rising from between the rolls 4l and 42 and being deflected by the deflector plate 57 on to the inclined guideway 5G whereon it is indicated in dotted lines, the sheet being also indicated in dotted lines in the said figure after sliding from the guideway and passing between the pressure rolls. By the arrangement described the conveyance of the folded sheet from the machine is facilitated and the completion of the fold by the vertically acting pressure rolls is improved. Y

If desired the inner roll 4l of the side by side pair may be replaced by a series of roller disks or Wheels.

By the above described improvements in or additions to the machine of the prior patent hereinbefore referred to the doubling or folding operations on the plates or sheets are facilitated and rendered more eflicient, greater accuracy in the folding and less waste in the intervening and final shearing operations on the folded plates or sheets or multiply of plates or sheets resulting.

laines:-

l. A machine for doubling tin plates comprising means for applying end pressure to the plate to effect an initial doubling thereof, a bed for preserving the position of the ends of the plate during the initial doubling operation, a gauge hook slidably mounted relative to said bed and capable of adjustment relative thereto, means for completing 'the doubling of the plate and means for effecting the delivery from the machine of the doubled plate.

2. A machine for doubling tin plates 'comprising means for applying end pressure to the plate to effect an initial doubling thereof, a bed for preserving the position of the ends of the plate during the initial doubling operation, a gauge hook slidably mounted relative to said bed and capable of adjustment relative thereto, automatically operable retaining means for causing the rplate to take the proper bearing on the gauge hook on the application of endvvise pressure to the plate, means for completing the doubling of the plate and means for effecting the delivery from the machine of the doubled plate.

3. A machine'for doubling tin plates comprising a traversable member adapted to apply endvvise pressure to the plate to effect an initial doubling thereof, a bed for preserving the position of the ends of the plateV during the initial doubling operation, a gauge hook slidably mounted relative to said bed and capable of adjustment relative thereto, automatically operable retaining means for causing the plate to take a proper bearing on the gauge hook on the application of endwise pressure to the plate, means operated by the aforesaid traversable member for effecting the actuation of said re-` taining means, means for 1completing the doubling of the plate and means for effecting the delivery from the machine of the doubled late. p 4. A machine for doubling tin plates comprising a traversable member adapted to apply endvvise pressure to the plate to effect an initial doubling thereof, a bed for preserving the position of the ends of the plate during the initial doubling operation, a gauge hook slidably mounted relative to said bed and capable of adjustment relative thereto, automatically operable retaining means for causing the plate to take a proper bearing on the gauge hook on the application `of endwise pressure t-o the plate, means operated by the aforesaid'traversable member for effecting the actuation of said retaining means, a pair of rollsfor completing the doubling of the plate, means for transferring the partially doubled plate to the said rolls and means for effecting the delivery from the said rolls of the doubled plate.

A machine for doubling tin plates comprising a traversable member adapted to apply endwise pressure to the plate to effect an initial doubling thereof, a bed for preserving the position of the ends of the plate during the initial doubling operation, a longitudinally extending member adjacent said bed adapted to be moved inwardly by' the traversable member, a gauge hook slidably mounted relative to said bed and capable of adjustment relative thereto, automatically operable retaining means for causing the plat-e to take a proper bearing on the gauge hook on the application of end- Wise pressure to the plate, means operated by the traversable member for effecting the actuation of said retaining means, a pair of rolls for completing the doubling` of the Y plate, means for tranferring a partially doubled plate to said rolls and means for effecting the delivery from the said rolls of the doubled plate.

6. A machine for doubling tin plates comprising a traversable member adapted to apply endvvise pressure to the plate to effect an initial doubling thereof, a bed for preserving the position of the ends of theI plate during the initial doubling operation, a longitudinally extending member adjacent said bed, means on the member for effecting the inward motion of the said .longitudinally extending member, a gauge hook slidably mounted relative to said bed and capable of adjust-ment relative thereto, automatically operable retaining means for causing the plate to take a proper bearing on the gauge hook on the application of endwise pressure to theplate, means operated by the traversable member for effecting the actuation of said retaining means, a pair of rolls for completing the doubling of the plate, means for transferring a partially doubled plate to said rolls, means for effecting the delivery i 

